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State Employees — May 2017 Poll

Our May 2017 poll asked likely NC voters two questions related to employees of the state government. The questions and responses are as follows:

Please tell me which of the following opinions comes closer to your own, when it comes to the state of North Carolina using taxpayer-funded resources to provide dues check-off services for private associations such as the North Carolina Association of Educators, the State Employees Association of North Carolina and local Teamster organization …

22% (Some/Other) people say that the state providing these dues check-off services is an appropriate use of taxpayer funded resources.

64% (Other/Some) people say that private organizations should have to collect the dues themselves, and taxpayer funded resources should not be used for it.

14% Don’t know/ Need more information

Currently, state employees in North Carolina receive a defined-benefit pension, meaning that they receive fixed payments until death after they retire. They must work at least 5 years to qualify for a pension. This pension fund currently has unfunded liabilities of $5.2 billion dollars, which state taxpayers will likely have to fund. Which of the following options would be BEST, when it comes to NEW North Carolina state employees…

63% New state employees should be enrolled into a 401(k) style plan which does not carry with it any risk of unfunded liabilities.

25% New state employees should continue to receive defined-benefit pension plans, and taxpayers should cover any shortfall or liability.